Capsule for preparing a beverage, and matching capsule holder

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a capsule for preparing a beverage, for example coffee, which includes a hollow element ( 1 ) for containing a product, for example ground coffee, said hollow element ( 1 ) including a side wall ( 4 ), a top surface, a bottom surface ( 5 ) and a flange ( 6 ), said flange including a deformable means ( 7 ). Said means is deformed by a deforming means ( 8 ) arranged on the capsule holder. The invention also relates to a device for using said capsule and to a method for extracting a beverage.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention falls within the field of the preparation of beverages, for example coffee-based, by extraction of a concentrated dose, for example of ground coffee, contained in a capsule. It relates more particularly to the doses used for this purpose and also to the devices using such doses.

Prior Art

Capsules and machines functioning according to the above-mentioned principle have existed for several decades.

The patents U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,886, U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,560, U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,617 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,297 describe devices in which the capsule is initially perforated in several places, then passed through by water under pressure.

The capsule described in the patent CH 605 293 or in the patent EP 0 242 556 B1 comprises a membrane in its lower part. Water under pressure is initially introduced in the upper part of the capsule, which brings about a swelling of the capsule, principally at the level of the membrane. Starting from a certain pressure, the membrane tears, thus permitting the flow of a water-coffee mixture.

Other capsules provided with a membrane are described in the following patent documents: EP 0 468 079 A, EP 0 806 373 A, EP 0 554 469 A.

GENERAL DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

One of the objectives of the present invention lies in an improvement of the circulation of the liquid through the capsule, and the invention aims to prevent liquid from flowing along the side wall of the capsule and also aims to optimize the “capsule—capsule holder” pair by proposing specific means cooperating with one another to obtain an optimized function.

These objectives are realized with the capsule and the device as defined in the claims.

According to the present invention, to respond, in particular, to the problems of tightness of the existing capsules, there is provided as a minimum, on a portion of the capsule, for example on the flange thereof, deformable means which cooperate with corresponding deforming means placed on the capsule holder (or on a fixed element or a portion of the said capsule holder).

Typically, the deformable means can be a deformable collar on the flange of the capsule. This collar can be formed in the said flange or can be added thereon. Preferably, this collar (the deformable means) undergoes a plastic deformation during the use of the capsule. Alternatively, an elastic deformation could be envisaged.

In a corresponding manner, the deforming means of the capsule holder can be a groove formed in the lower edge of the said capsule holder, the said groove permitting the collar to be deformed in a directed manner. This groove can be of any shape, but preferably it is such that it promotes a directed deformation of the deformable means of the capsule. Preferably, this groove has a rounded shape.

Furthermore, additional means can be provided (for example a specific material or a shape) on the capsule holder (in particular on the deforming means), the resistance of which is adapted to that of the deformable means of the capsule, for example to that of the collar, such that only deformable means having a maximum predetermined resistance are correctly deformed by the capsule holder. According to this principle, the use of a capsule of which the collar would have a resistance greater than that which is predetermined would result in a temporary or permanent deformation of the capsule holder (namely in particular of the deforming means), or the part carrying the said deforming means. This would permit the prevention of the use of capsules non-adapted to the capsule holder (and to the machine) concerned, by adversely affecting in particular the tightness.

An effect of the present invention is that it permits an “optimization” of the capsule—capsule holder pair in that the means which are provided are provided in a manner which optimizes the functioning of the machine, since an optimum pair is obtained of the elements constituting the system and the deformation of the deformable means reinforces the tightness of the system.

Several equivalent ways of forming the means according to the invention are possible and the example embodiments in the present application are given by way of illustration. Of course, they must not be considered as being restrictive, and variations are possible within the framework of the present application, in particular by the use of equivalent means.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention is described in further detail below by means of examples illustrated by the following figures:

FIG. 1 presents a partial section of an embodiment of a device and of a capsule according to the invention in a first position.

FIG. 2 presents a partial section of an embodiment of a device and of a capsule according to the invention in a second position.

FIG. 3 presents a partial section of an embodiment of a device and of a capsule according to the invention in a third position.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 (and in a known manner in the field of coffee capsules for example), a capsule 1 containing a product 3 (for example ground coffee) is introduced in a capsule holder 2. The capsule includes in particular a body of generally cylindrical shape 4 and a bottom 5 with a membrane (not illustrated) through which liquid, introduced under pressure, exits when it has passed through the product 3.

The capsule 4 includes in particular a flange 6 on which the deformable means 7 are provided. In the non-restrictive example of the figures, these means include a collar 7 formed by the flange 6. Alternatively, this collar can be added on the flange 6. In section, the collar has a generally triangular illustrated shape, but this representation is not restrictive and other equivalent shapes are possible.

Preferably, the shape chosen for the deformable means induces a directed deformation of the said deformable means. This induced deformation can be intrinsic or it can be aided and/or caused by the deforming means 8 of the capsule holder 2. These deforming means 8 are, for example (as illustrated), a groove formed in the lower part of the capsule holder which comes in contact with the flange of the capsule.

The groove 8 can have a rounded bottom (as illustrated), or not. Preferably, the shape of the groove (and, by extension, of the deforming means 8) cooperates with the deformable means 7 so as to cause a directed deformation of the same deformable means 7.

The deforming means 8 can be directly formed in the capsule holder 2, or they can be formed in an added piece which is mounted on the capsule holder 2. Alternatively, these deforming means can also be partially formed in the capsule holder 2 and in an added element.

These deforming means 8 can also have specific deformation characteristics adapted to the deformable means such that they are only capable of deforming deformable means, for example that they are only capable of exerting a certain deformation force limited to a predetermined value, beyond which they themselves undergo a deformation (plastic, for example). Thus, only the capsules of which the deforming means deform below a certain value are able to be used with a given capsule holder and a use of non-matching capsules can be prevented.

Preferably, the deformable means 7 are present on the entire periphery of the capsule and, in a corresponding manner, the deforming means 8 are also present on the entire periphery of the capsule holder 2. Alternatively, the said means are not present on the whole of the whole of the periphery of the capsule, respectively of the capsule holder.

As illustrated in the figure, a capsule 1 is introduced in a capsule holder 2, the deformable means 7 and deforming means 8 being generally facing one another. In FIG. 2, the capsule holder is lowered and by its movement deforms the deformable means 7 by the deforming means 8.

As is observed, the deformation occurs in a directed manner towards the interior, with the material forming the deformable means forming a fold.

FIG. 3 illustrates the final position of the capsule holder for the extraction of the beverage: the deformable means are entirely “flattened”, thus forming a seal.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a device, the functioning of which is carried out along a vertical axis (movement of the capsule holder), but it is well understood that this movement and the alignment can be situated along another axis, for example horizontal or other (inclined, for example), the principle of the invention remaining the same.

NUMERICAL REFERENCES USED IN THE FIGURES

-   1. capsule -   2. capsule holder -   3. product -   4. capsule body -   5. capsule bottom -   6. capsule flange -   7. deformable means -   8. deforming means 

1. A capsule for preparing a beverage, for example coffee, which includes a hollow element for containing a product, for example ground coffee, said hollow element including a side wall, a top surface, a bottom surface and a flange, said flange including a deformable means.
 2. The capsule according to claim 1, in which the deformable means include a collar.
 3. The capsule according to claim 1, in which the deformable means are situated on the entire periphery of the capsule, or not.
 4. The capsule according to claim 1, in which the deformable means are formed in and/or on the flange or are added on the said flange.
 5. The capsule according to claim 1, in which the direction of deformation of the deforming means is induced by the shape of the said means.
 6. A capsule holder for a capsule according to claim 1, including deforming means cooperating with the deformable means of the said capsule, for deforming them.
 7. The capsule holder according to claim 6, in which the deforming means include a groove.
 8. The capsule holder according to claim 6, in which the deforming means include a groove.
 9. The capsule holder according to claim 6, in which the deforming means are formed in the capsule holder and/or are added thereon.
 10. The capsule holder according to claim 6, in which the deforming means are situated on the entire periphery of the capsule holder, or not.
 11. The capsule holder according to claim 6, in which the deforming means are capable of imparting a predetermined deformation force before themselves undergoing a deformation.
 12. A device including at least one capsule holder according to claim
 6. 13. The device according to claim 12 combined with at least one capsule.
 14. A method for the use of a device according to claim 13, in which after having introduced a capsule in the capsule holder, the said capsule holder is closed, deforming the said deformable means of the capsule by the deforming means of the capsule holder. 